A Simple Mistake
by Ruthie
Summary: A simple mistake leads to a drastic change of life for Sam and Daniel - and not for the best.


Title: A Simple Mistake  
  
Rating: R (Graphic violence)  
  
Spoilers: The Nox, In the Line of Duty  
  
Summary: A simple mistake leads to a drastic change of life for Sam and Daniel - and not for the best.  
  
Author Notes: Sam/Daniel, Action/Adventure, Sci-fi/Fantasy, 3rd Person POV. A lot darker than what I usually write, but hey! Please R&R.  
  
Disclaimer: All publicly recognisable characters and places are the property of MGM, World Gekko Corp and Double Secret productions. This piece of fan fiction was created for entertainment not monetary purposes and no infringement on copyrights or trademarks was intended. Previously unrecognised characters and places, and this story, are copyrighted to the author. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.  
  
~ A Simple Mistake ~  
  
Copyright (c) 2003, Ruth  
  
**********  
  
Part I: The Lost Temple  
  
**********  
  
"Godspeed, SG-1." Hammond watched as his flagship team disappeared through the Stargate on their latest mission to a previously unknown planet called P82-735.   
  
**********  
  
When they exited the Stargate SG-1 was surprised - everything appeared to be normal. There were lots of trees, plenty of grass, but no Goa'uld, no purple trees and no yellow grass.  
  
"Well...this is...average," Jack said, stepping onto the grass and testing it with his foot.  
  
"I keep expecting a giant blue rabbit to come bounding up or something," Sam replied, casting a keen eye at their surroundings. "Sir, with your permission I'd like to collect some samples."  
  
"Granted, Carter. Have fun, now, and take Danny Boy with you."  
  
"Yes, sir. I'll stay in radio contact."  
  
Teal'c raised an eyebrow as he regarded the perfectly normal landscape.  
  
"Something is wrong, O'Neill. Nothing is...wrong here."  
  
"I know, Teal'c. By now we'd usually have been attacked by a freakin' Goa'uld or met by some strange alien creature with twigs in its hair, but now - nothing's happened."  
  
"I believe that something will occur soon, O'Neill. We have, after all, sent Dr Jackson and Major Carter off on their own. They usually run into some sort of disturbance."  
  
Jack nodded. "You have a point, my good friend. Come on - let's go find something weird."  
  
**********  
  
Meanwhile, Sam and Daniel had come across some old ruins of what appeared to be a temple. Ancient hieroglyphs were scrawled across the broken walls, and some intriguing plants that neither of them had ever seen before surrounded the temple itself. The plants covered what appeared to be an entrance arch, which was also covered, in an ancient language.  
  
"Oh wow! Sam, this language dates back to pre-Egyptian times..."  
  
"Wow! Daniel, would you believe that these plants are 90% carbon based..."  
  
They continued in this manner for a long while, until they decided to have a look inside what used to be the grand temple. Daniel pushed aside some overhanging greenery and he and Sam stepped through, their mouths dropping in wonder at what they saw.  
  
The temple was not a ruin, as they had previously thought. It was still there, as the day it was first built. The walls were high and hung with deep red velvet curtains, the floors carpeted with the same material but a deep magenta colour.  
  
There were small statues and doohickeys everywhere. They adorned part of the floor, as well as some polished brass tables and chairs in one corner. The furnishings were exquisite, and it was then that they noticed they were not alone.  
  
Sam felt Daniel's arm on hers.   
  
"Put your weapon on the floor," he whispered, his breath tickling the back of her neck.  
  
"How can you be sure they're passive?" She replied softly, her eyes locked on the creatures in front of her.  
  
They were like small children, but were probably the same age as Jack. They had small hairy feet and the men had beards that trailed along the ground, almost tripping them up on several occasions. They wore robes of deep red, and one wore a velvet hat, which flopped down into his eyes whenever he moved.  
  
"I think we can be pretty sure," Daniel said, lowering his weapon to the floor and giving the creatures his best welcoming smile.  
  
"Okay," Sam said, putting her gun on the floor and straightening back up, holding her hands up in the air and trying her best to smile nicely at them.  
  
One of the smaller ones moved closer to the one with the velvet hat and whispered to him. The velvet-hat wearing one jumped up excitedly and promptly fell over his enormously long beard, the hat falling down over his face. The others squeaked in alarm and ran over to him, helping him up.  
  
Throughout this display, Sam and Daniel looked at each other in confusion. Sam was trying her best not to laugh, whilst struggling with her intense fascination of the little people. Daniel was also fascinated, trying to listen to what they were saying.  
  
The velvet-hat wearing one was on his feet again. He came slowly towards the two of them, but stepped on his beard again and went headfirst onto the floor, sprawling underneath the velvet hat.  
  
Sam flinched as he smashed into the ground, and looked at Daniel.  
  
"Shouldn't we try to help him?" She asked.  
  
Daniel shook his head. "We don't want to offend them. He looks like he's checking us out, seeing what we're about."  
  
Sam's face fell. "What if he can sense Jolinar's protein marker?"  
  
"I don't think they look that advanced," Daniel replied, lowering his voice as the small creature stood up again, dusting off his beard. "Even so, I think we'd have had something done to us by now."  
  
"Shall I turn my radio off?"  
  
"Good idea. The sudden noise might startle them."  
  
Slowly, they both turned off their radios, despite the fact that they would get a rollicking from Jack the minute they saw him again.  
  
The small creature with the velvet hat and long beard had wandered up to them again, and was now at eye-level with Daniel's knee. He looked up at the two of them with his beady green eyes and a large grin appeared on his small face, revealing perfectly white teeth.  
  
He turned back to the others and said something that neither Daniel nor Sam understood. It was a low-pitched sort of squeaking noise, and the others replied in unison.   
  
Then, they rushed forwards and fell to their knees before the two of them, murmuring in low voices. The velvet-hat wearing one removed the garment and also bowed before them, murmuring along with his fellow...things.  
  
Sam looked up at Daniel and shrugged.  
  
"As far as I can make out, I think - they think we're Gods."  
  
Sam tried not to grin. "Ah. That one again."  
  
"At least we know that they mean us no harm," Daniel continued in a hushed voice, "Quite the opposite. If I could only work out what they were saying!"  
  
The murmuring stopped, and the small, velvet-hat wearing one reached up with his small, hairy hand towards Daniel. Daniel looked at Sam, shrugged, and took the small hand in his. He walked away with the small creature, which looked dangerously close to tripping up again.  
  
Another of the creatures - a female this time - was eyeing Sam carefully. She squeaked something at a group of the smaller ones who instantly ran away into a small room, shrouded with a royal blue silk curtain.  
  
The smaller hand reached up to take hers. She swallowed. What the hell? It's not every day I'm mistaken for a goddess, she thought, with a wry smile. She allowed herself to be shown into the small room by the small female creature, who was wearing the same attire as the men, but her long silvery hair was pulled back into a tight bun on the back of her head.  
  
Sam had to duck down quite a way to gain access to the small room, but once she was inside she felt correctly proportioned again. The room behind the curtain was large, obviously where all the females hung out when they weren't spying on people in the temple.  
  
The décor was the same as in the main temple, but there were curious and delicate embroidered wall hangings throughout. There was another curtain towards the back of the room, and a lot of the small women were rushing in and out of it. Sam had no idea why, and wondered how Daniel was getting on.  
  
Daniel was observing the men in awed silence. They had shown him to a smaller room, in the right wing of the temple, which was decorated in the same manner as the main hall. There were near twenty of the men in there with him, all squeaking curiously in their high-pitched voices. The velvet-hat wearing one was obviously a lot older than the others, because he had his own special chair in the corner of the room.  
  
He sank into it and sighed, taking off the hat and blowing on it, brushing away what little dust had gathered on it. Daniel watched him carefully. They definitely had more knowledge than the average Neanderthal, but their language was like nothing he'd ever heard before.  
  
At that point, two of the small creatures ran out of the curtained room on the left of the room, carrying a heavy velvet garment between them. They gently laid it on the floor at Daniel's feet and looked up at him, waiting.  
  
Daniel carefully stooped down and picked up the carefully crafted robes. They were deep red in colour, with edging in gold. Around the collar there was a gold band with what looked like jewels attached. He felt the material between his fingers, soft and smooth. He looked back at the two creatures and smiled.  
  
"Thank you," he said, "It's...uh...very nice, but you see...I'm not a God."  
  
They smiled, and ushered him away into another room, pulling the curtain closed behind him. Ah, he thought, they want me to wear it. Ah well, what else can I do? He asked himself, wondering what Jack and Teal'c were up to.  
  
**********  
  
"I do not understand, O'Neill. Normally, something untoward has happened. Yet, here we are, still perfectly unharmed and walking through a perfectly normal forest."  
  
"I know, Teal'c," Jack said, taking a delicate leaf between his fingers and studying it, "It scares me too."  
  
**********  
  
Sam gently pulled the dress down so it sat properly on her shoulders, and looked at her reflection in a tall mirror. The dress was such a deep blue that it was almost black. The neck plunged in a deep v to her breastbone, and the shoulder straps were thin and crusted with small gems. The dress was long, and fell around her feet in graceful whirls.  
  
One of the smaller women handed her another piece of material, which looked like a shawl. It was the same deep blue as the dress, and covered her shoulders perfectly. She looked down at the woman by her side, and decided that it was time to try some communication.  
  
"Thank you," she said, with a smile, "It's beautiful."  
  
The woman smiled back, and began to fumble with her hands. Sam cleared her throat and smiled. She pointed one hand to herself and said:  
  
"Sam."  
  
Then, she held her hand out to the woman. She looked at Sam in confusion, and repeated:  
  
"Sam."  
  
Sam shook her head lightly, and smiled. Try again. She pointed at herself twice.  
  
"Me Sam." She held out her hand to the woman and asked, "You?"  
  
The woman tilted her head to the side slightly. She didn't understand. Sam sighed.  
  
"Never mind."  
  
"Nayella."  
  
"Excuse me?" Sam asked softly, turning to face the woman again.  
  
"Nayella," she replied, pointing at herself.  
  
Sam smiled. "Nayella. It's nice to meet you."  
  
**********  
  
Sam and Daniel were then led out to the main room of the temple. The small creatures hurried along at their sides, ushering them towards another room with a curtain in front.  
  
"Have you managed to get them to talk?" Sam asked.  
  
"No. All I know is that the one with the hat is some sort of leader, and the others answer to him. You?"  
  
"I managed to get a name out of one of them. At least, I think I did."  
  
"Wow. You after my job, by any chance?" he asked, with a smile.  
  
"No. Give me my computer any day," she replied. "What about the language? Have you deciphered any of it yet?"  
  
"Well, it definitely dates back to pre-Egyptian times, and I think given the time that maybe I could understand some of it..."  
  
Daniel's voice trailed off as he realised that the small people had stopped by the velvet curtain and were waiting patiently.  
  
Daniel smiled, and said, "Thank you." He looked at Sam with a helpless expression.  
  
Then, one of the others pulled on the rope and the curtains opened. Sam and Daniel found themselves shoved inside before they knew what was happening.  
  
When they turned around, they had a surprise - and a strange one at that.  
  
In the centre of the room there was a huge four-poster bed, hung with the same marvellous drapes as the main hall. There appeared to be little else in the room, but the walls were covered in hieroglyphs.   
  
Sam blushed. "Daniel?" she asked.  
  
"I...um...I..."  
  
"Why don't you see if you can read some of that wall?" Sam asked, "I'm gonna check out the rest of the room."  
  
"Right," Daniel stammered, heading towards the wall but not being able to resist a quick peak at Sam before he began. She looked amazing in the dress, not that he would have said it. He knew better.  
  
**********  
  
Part II: The Ancient Curse  
  
**********  
  
"O'Neill. I believe I have found something!" Teal'c said, hacking away at the tree roots surrounding an ancient tablet.  
  
"What've ya got, T?" Jack asked, walking up beside his friend.  
  
"I believe the tablet speaks of the coming of High Priest Nekhmar and his wife, the High Priestess Juita. The inhabitants of this land obviously think highly of them - this is a shrine."  
  
"I've never heard of 'em. You?" Jack asked, pulling his radio from his pocket.  
  
"Indeed I have not, O'Neill," Teal'c replied, studying the shrine.  
  
"Carter, come in," Jack said, speaking into his radio. His brow furrowed when there was no reply. "Damned scientists," he muttered. "I'll try Daniel."  
  
Teal'c was buried in translating the tablet when Jack tugged at his arm.  
  
"T - Carter and Daniel aren't answering their radios. I think we'd better head back."  
  
"Indeed we had, O'Neill. This tablet also speaks of a ritual performed by the inhabitants of this planet, in praise of their high priest and priestess."  
  
"What sort of ritual?" Jack asked.  
  
"A ritual sacrifice," Teal'c said, his voice grim.  
  
**********  
  
Sam felt her way along the wall, wondering if there was perhaps a secret compartment or door that would help them out of this room. She hadn't said anything to Daniel, but she was growing uneasier with the situation as time went on.  
  
"Sam, I think I've got something. This part of the wall tells the story of High Priest Nekhmar and his wife, the High Priestess Juita. Apparently they're the guardians of this planet. They came here to escape Ra after he massacred the rest of their family. They stayed here until their death - it was a lover's suicide pact."  
  
"Daniel, I didn't say this before, but...are you feeling a little uneasy?" Sam asked, hugging her arms around her, wishing that she were wearing more clothes.  
  
"Kinda. Why do you ask? I'm pretty sure we're fine here, Sam - they haven't made any aggressive moves, after all."  
  
"True. Sorry, Daniel. It was probably just me."  
  
She continued feeling her way along the wall. There had to be something here, something to help the two of them leave...  
  
Suddenly, she heard Daniel draw in his breath sharply. She was about to look up and ask him what was wrong when a part of the wall moved beneath her hand. She looked down and what she saw made her feel sick.  
  
"Sam?"  
  
"Daniel?"  
  
"I think we have a problem, here."  
  
"So do I. So...what does the wall say?" Sam asked, standing up and backing away from the wall.  
  
"It...uh...it says that every time the moon is full, a sacrifice shall be made. One man and one woman, for Nekhmar and Juita. It says that the lovers must first join together, before taking each other's lives with the same daggers used by Juita and Nekhmar." Daniel was pale as he turned back to Sam.  
  
"Is it a full moon? Tell me it isn't a full moon!"  
  
"Daniel...I think I've found the daggers," She said, feeling the floor beneath her feet begin to tremble.  
  
"Sam!" Daniel said, "Come away from there!"  
  
Sam looked up and barely had time to let out a cry of shock as part of the ceiling fell down on her. She ran from the corner of the room and over to Daniel's side.  
  
"What's happening?" Sam shouted, above the roar of the collapsing temple.  
  
"The wall says that if no sacrifice is made by the time the moon is full, the souls of Nekhmar and Juita will exact a terrible revenge upon the citizens of this planet."  
  
"I take it this is the revenge?" Sam asked, as they both dove for cover beneath the only other item of furniture in the room - a large table.  
  
"Oh, yeah!" Daniel replied, wincing as a vase fell from the tabletop and smashed before them, sending shards of the artefact flying at their faces.  
  
The whole temple was shaking, pieces of the ceiling were falling in on them and the curtains seemed to be ripping on their own accord, the delicate material falling in dusty heaps on the floor, littered with rubble.  
  
"Daniel, we have to get out of here!" Sam said, as the floor began to shake harder beneath their feet.  
  
**********  
  
"What the hell is going on?" Jack shouted, as the river burst its banks and began to flow faster beside them.  
  
Teal'c had to shout to make his voice heard above the terrible noise.   
  
"If a sacrifice is not made before the moon is full, the souls of the dead priest and priestess will destroy this planet!"  
  
"At least it means Sam and Daniel are still alive!" Jack shouted, dodging the path of a dead tree as it fell towards his face.  
  
"O'Neill!" Teal'c shouted suddenly. Jack turned around to see him rooted to the spot, staring at the river.  
  
"Jeez!" Jack said in horror. The river had turned blood red, and was flowing faster with each second that passed.  
  
"We must get out of here soon, O'Neill! I do not believe we have much time left!"  
  
"YA THINK?" Jack shouted, "I'm not leaving Carter and Daniel behind!"  
  
"They may already be dead, O'Neill!"  
  
**********  
  
"Oh my God!" Daniel cried, as the two daggers rose up from the wall in a silvery haze. "Sam! Watch out!"  
  
The daggers flew towards them with amazing speed, and ripped through the table that had once defended them, splitting it in half.  
  
"Run!" Sam shouted, dragging herself to her feet and making a break for it. She turned around abruptly when she realised that he wasn't behind her.  
  
"Daniel!" she screamed, as the two daggers turned and pointed straight at him. She ran back, pulled him out from under the wreckage of the table and half-dragged him from the room.  
  
She could hear the whoosh of the daggers following them as they tried to escape. Daniel was freed, and running on his own, but she could tell that he was wounded. The side of his robe was ripped and blood ran freely from the open material.  
  
"Down here!" Daniel shouted suddenly, reaching out and grabbing Sam's hand.  
  
"Where?" she asked, deafened by the explosions.  
  
"Down!" Daniel shouted, and Sam felt his hand ripped from hers as he descended suddenly. She turned around, saw the daggers heading towards her, and jumped.   
  
She didn't know where she was, or quite what was happening. She knew that she was in a chute of some sort, but it was pitch black and the explosions were still roaring, the temple was still collapsing. She ducked to avoid a tendril of thorns that burst through the top of the chute and tried to grab her, and gasped as another got hold of her shoulder, sinking its spikes into her flesh.   
  
A burning pain entered her arm, and her whole body felt warm. Her fingers began to tingle, but the more she struggled with the vine, the more the pain increased. She could see nothing but black, hear nothing but the collapsing ruins and feel nothing but the blood running freely down her arm.   
  
Her hand was now completely numb, she could no longer move her fingers. Pain and prickly heat spiked at her as she struggled against the vine, which felt almost as if it was moving around her. What a cliché, she thought miserably. Just then, a piece of rubble flew down the chute beside her and batted the vine away, sending her flying feet-first, an endless tunnel of blackness. Her stomach churned as the tunnel refused to flatten out, just continued its vertical descent into the unknown.  
  
She could still feel some of the spikes in her shoulder, and the blood had not stopped, but she was moving. Too fast. Now, though, the sound of water was getting louder. She closed her eyes and did the only thing she could think of - she held her breath.   
  
With a sudden rush, she was plunged into a dark body of water that stung her eyes as they were forced open. She felt herself rise to the surface and took a desperate gasp of air. Suddenly, a hand shot out and grasped her wrist.  
  
She was too exhausted and shocked to scream. Instead, she just lay there in the water and waited to die.   
  
"Sam! Sam, come on!"  
  
But instead of death, she faced Daniel. His hair and clothes were soaking wet, the same as hers. He dragged her to the relative safety of the riverbank and hauled the two of them out of the water.  
  
"Daniel?" Sam asked, "What's that smell?"  
  
Daniel swallowed. "Uh...it's blood, Sam. All the rivers turned to blood when the moon rose."  
  
"Oh my God," Sam said, coughing harshly. "Where the hell are we?"  
  
"That chute we went down took us directly from the base of the temple to this place - it's sort of like a private jungle area - we just used the slaves' route."  
  
"They actually chucked their slaves down there?" Sam asked, gingerly touching her shoulder.  
  
"Yeah, but they wouldn't have had this curse to worry about," Daniel replied. "How did that happen?"  
  
"Whilst we were going down that chute, or whatever it was - these vines started to grow out of the top and sides - it's like being stuck in an Indiana Jones movie."  
  
"Ouch. Listen, Sam - we'd better get out of here - this looks like it's a shrine to Nekhmar and Juita."  
  
"I'm getting so tired of hearing those names," Sam muttered, as she struggled to get to her feet.  
  
"We've probably not seen the last of them - or their curse," Daniel said, as the two of them began to trudge through the forest, trying not to breathe in too deeply. The smell of coppery blood still hung thick in the air, choking them.  
  
The plants hung down in front of their eyes, and they had to work to get through them, thrashing out with their hands and whatever large pieces of wood or trees that they could find.   
  
A storm was still raging. Nightfall was upon them, and they could see the moon high in the sky, shining brightly. It was the only thing on the entire planet that didn't appear to be cursed. The rivers still ran red with blood, and were crashing in huge waves as they descended a waterfall.  
  
"Daniel!" Sam shouted above the roar of the water, "I think these are Jack and Teal'c's footprints!"  
  
"Are you sure?" he replied, turning back to face her with some difficulty.  
  
"Yeah. Does this storm feel like it's getting worse to you?" She asked.  
  
"Yeah! We need to find someplace to shelter until it's passed - that is, if it's ever going to pass..."  
  
The two of them continued on in silence. They passed the waterfall and soon found themselves going up a fairly steep incline. This was the path that would take them back towards the Stargate, if they were lucky.  
  
**********  
  
"Uh oh," said Jack, "It's a fork in the road. Which way do we go?"  
  
Teal'c studied both paths carefully. "I believe that they are both the same, O'Neill."  
  
"Right, okay then. Which way do you think we should go?"  
  
"It is of little consequence."  
  
"Ah - you may be wrong there, my friend. Still, I think we'll go...right!"  
  
The two of them started walking down the right hand path when there was a massive gust of wind and a deafening groan. Jack and Teal'c turned around to see a giant tree falling towards the ground, its roots splayed in mid-air. They started to run, even though the tree was almost on the ground.  
  
It shook beneath their feet as the tree finally came to rest, and for a moment all was still. Then, it began to rain. Not blood rain, but just ordinary rain.   
  
"I don't think we can change our minds," Jack quipped, looking back at the fallen tree, "And here's some nice, normal rain to cheer us up!"  
  
**********  
  
"Sam, I think we're almost at the top!" Daniel cried. The rain was lashing down like miniature whips, biting into his skin whenever it made contact.  
  
"Good!" she called from behind him. Her calf muscles were burning and her feet protesting strongly to the harsh ground beneath them.  
  
Daniel was first to reach the top, and was met with a fork in the road. Unfortunately, a tree had blocked the right-hand path. He looked up the left one. It looked dark and gloomy, as the rain was still thundering down.  
  
Sam came up behind him, almost slipping on a rock. She grabbed her arms around his waist to stop herself from falling.  
  
"Sam? You okay?" He asked, turning back to see her.  
  
"Yeah - just a bit slippy, that's all," she said, "Sorry."  
  
"We're gonna have to take the left path - the right one's blocked," Daniel said.  
  
**********  
  
Part III: The Left Path  
  
**********  
  
They had not gone far when they realised that they were being watched. Followed would be a better word, but Sam could definitely feel pairs of eyes burning into her back.  
  
"Daniel?" she said, "Do you..."  
  
"Think we're being watched. Oh, yeah. Sam, I think they're our little friends from earlier - but just keep walking for a while - hopefully the rain will disorientate them."  
  
Sam carried on walking for a moment, but then she stopped, stock-still.  
  
"Daniel - they have our guns."  
  
Daniel also stopped. Sam watched the rain run down his face, and bit her lip. What a mission this was turning out to be!  
  
"I think we're just gonna have to pray that they don't know how to use them," he said, trudging on. "At least this path appears to be fairly stable."  
  
They had not gone much farther when they heard a very familiar clicking noise through the drone of the rain. The sound of the safety being snapped off of a gun.  
  
"Run," Daniel said, and the two of them broke away from their pursuers. Having much larger legs than their so-called friends, they should have had an advantage. But guns can give anything an unfair advantage over everything, which they soon found out.  
  
One bullet flew through the air and nicked Daniel in the shoulder. He let out a cry of pain and Sam winced, racking her tired brain to try and think of something. What could they do? It was almost laughable. They were being chased around a cursed alien planet by a bunch of midgets that had their guns. They'd make a movie about it some day.  
  
"Daniel!" she said, "What about that tree over there? D'ya think it'll provide us with much cover?"  
  
"We'll have to get right to the top," he groaned, "I don't think I can..."  
  
Another bullet whizzed through the air, narrowly missing Sam's left arm.   
  
"I don't think we have any other options," he agreed, and followed Sam as she veered to the left, hoping to knock their pursuers off the scent. Unfortunately, the rain was beginning to stop, and they could see much clearly again, even in the darkness.  
  
"Daniel, if this doesn't work...I'm sorry," Sam said, beginning to climb the tree as fast as she could whilst wearing a dress. She poked Daniel up in front of her, determined to keep him alive even if she wasn't.  
  
"Sam - there's a longer branch off to the left - if we can just reach it, it's shielded by foliage."  
  
"Got it," she replied, but she could already hear the indignant noises made by the creatures below. "Oh, hell - Daniel, you don't think they can climb trees, do you?"  
  
"No," he replied, "They're too small. Their hands and feet are of no use to them up a tree."  
  
"You're sure about that?" Sam asked, wincing as she slipped and raked splinters into her hand.  
  
"Definitely. We're almost there, Sam. Give me your hand!"  
  
She felt herself beginning to shake. If she let go with one hand, there would only be one left holding her to the tree.  
  
"Sam!"  
  
She put her faith in Daniel, and let him help her up the last of the tree. Together they sat on the branch, leaning back against the large trunk of the tree. Daniel had been right - there was a mass of green foliage that perfectly sheltered them. The rain had now stopped completely, and mist was beginning to drift down onto the ground.  
  
Sam took the opportunity to glance over at her friend. His clothes were torn and splattered with mud, and his shoulder and side wounds had left a trail of blood down the side of the material.  
  
"How's your shoulder?" she asked, not wanting to lean over him in case she fell out of the tree.  
  
"I'll live," he said, "What about yours?"  
  
"I can't feel it any more," she replied, "Don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing."  
  
Daniel carefully edged along the branch and put his good arm around her. She leant into his warmth, feeling relatively safe for the first time in hours.  
  
"Sam, I'm sorry. If I'd read the hieroglyphs properly, we wouldn't be in this situation. I could have gotten us both out of here, but I didn't."  
  
"Daniel," Sam replied, "This is not your fault - don't you even believe it. We're both in this together - we're both gonna get out of this together."  
  
Daniel managed a weak smile. "Are they still down there?" he asked.  
  
Sam nodded. "They're probably waiting for us to starve, die and then fall out of the tree."  
  
Daniel frowned. "Is that really our only way down?"  
  
"Looks like it," she replied sadly. "We'll never suffer another O'Neill barbecue again."  
  
Daniel bit his lip and pulled Sam closer. "I hope they're okay," he said, "If they can report back to Hammond..."  
  
Sam shook her head. "Hammond won't send anyone else through if he knows it's cursed - he won't risk the lives of the other teams. That's good most of the time - not this time."  
  
They were silent for a moment, but then Daniel smiled.  
  
"You know - the last time I remember hiding up a tree was when my parents were still alive. I was young then, and my dad was trying to get me to dress up like a 'young man' to go to this family thing. I hated family things, I always had to wear this little black suit and a white starchy collar that tickled my neck. So when he said we had to get ready, I ran out into the garden and hid in the biggest tree we had."  
  
Sam giggled. "I can hardly imagine you like that."  
  
"Anyway, my dad came out to find me - he knew exactly where I was, but he couldn't climb the tree himself because his knee was starting to give him a few problems, I think. I just thought he was scared of heights at the time. He stood at the bottom of the tree and shouted, 'Danny, if you don't come down from there...' and then my mother came out. She was younger than my father, and more athletic - so she started climbing up this tree to get me down! I was really annoyed, obviously, and I still got stuffed in that stupid suit and shirt."  
  
He smiled, and fondly scratched his neck, as if he were wearing the same collar. "God love them."  
  
Sam managed a smile as well. "Well. When I was young, me and Mark had an auntie called Auntie Juliet. God, she was horrible. Every time she came round I'd have to wear a little dress and Mark would have to wear a suit and tie, so when my mom told us that she was coming we decided to hide. I used to have this really big box in my room, with a lid that was really hard to get up. I used to put all of my toys in it. So, whilst my mom and dad were downstairs, we went upstairs and pulled all of the toys out of the box, stuffed them in the cupboard and hid in the box ourselves."  
  
Daniel chuckled. "You and your brother stuffed yourselves in a toy box?"  
  
"You haven't heard the best of it yet," Sam continued, "Anyway, my dad comes into the room and decides that he's going to take our toys downstairs, for when Aunt Juliet gets here. He picks up this box that's got me and Mark inside, and we can hear him moaning about how heavy it is. I wanted to laugh, but Mark put his hand over my mouth. Of course, because it was such a small box, he couldn't move his hand off of my mouth, and I couldn't breathe. I started kicking at the sides of this box just as my dad had picked it up again. I could hear my mom coming into my room, and I kicked at the box so hard that the bottom fell out! Me and Mark just fell in this heap on the floor, amongst the bottom of this box."  
  
Daniel struggled to keep a hold of his laughter. "What did your parents say?"  
  
"Well, mom went mad but dad thought it was hilarious. He always had a strange sense of humour."  
  
"You know, if we survive this - they oughta make it into a movie. There's so many clichés it's untrue. Jack would hate it." Daniel said.  
  
"Tell me about it," Sam replied.  
  
"First, we go into this temple with strange alien creatures that are really small, and we think we're being treated like Gods. Then - oh no! We realise that we're actually sacrifices. We try to escape but then this curse gets put on the temple by these two dead people, with the river of blood and storms - and now we're hiding up a tree in the middle of nowhere!"  
  
Sam yawned. "Do you have any idea how long it is until the sun comes up?"  
  
"I don't, but I'd guess that it's about 2 o'clock in the morning, 3 at the latest. We've still got a couple of hours."  
  
It was getting cold. The fog had descended upon them, and both Sam and Daniel were shivering.  
  
They huddled closer together in the top of the tree, trying to share what little warmth they had left.  
  
"I never thought I'd be glad to be wearing the SGC uniforms," Daniel grumbled, "But this dress has helped me to see the light."  
  
"I know - now I remember why I used to get so stressed whenever my mom wanted me to put one on."  
  
Another few moments passed, and they began to hear rustling noises.  
  
"What's going on?" Daniel asked softly.  
  
"I think our little friends are on the move," Sam replied, craning her neck to try and get a better view.  
  
"Really? Wow. Maybe things are starting to turn up for us." Daniel smiled, squeezing her hand in his a little tighter.  
  
"Hopefully. I think we deserve some good luck right about now."  
  
They watched as their pursuers left the clearing, and went back down the hill to what was left of their once proud temple. The sky was changing from black to a deep shade of red, the sun was not far from rising, which meant that they would have to start moving again. If they could get to the Stargate before the sun rose properly, they'd have less chance of being spotted.  
  
"If we climb down in a moment, we should be able to carry on walking through the forest. I can almost see the clearing where the Stargate is from here," Daniel said, gingerly unhooking his arm from Sam and pointing to a spot just north of the forest.  
  
"Sure thing. I'll go first - make sure we haven't got company."  
  
"But..."  
  
"No buts, Daniel - you're hurt. Let me do this." Sam said, moving away from him and edging her way across the branch.  
  
"But you're hurt too!" Daniel protested, "I should be rescuing you from the top of the tree!"  
  
Sam raised her eyebrows at him questioningly. He knew when to shut up, and this was one of those times. Obediently, he closed his mouth and pretended to do up a zipper across it. Sam smirked.  
  
"Don't make me laugh when I'm trying to climb down a huge tree."  
  
**********  
  
When Jack and Teal'c finally reached the Stargate it was almost dawn. Teal'c had suggested that they stop and rest for a while during the night, which had set them back a couple of hours. Jack restlessly looked around him, trying to find some sign of where Carter and Daniel had gone.  
  
"I won't leave without them, T."  
  
"Of this I am aware, O'Neill."  
  
"They must be around here somewhere - weren't they looking for some rocks or something?"  
  
"They were studying the ruined temple, O'Neill."  
  
"Yah, rocks, temples, what's the difference. We've gotta go and find them, Teal'c. They'd do the same for us. Well, they wouldn't let us get into this situation in the first place..."  
  
"It is highly unlikely that they would have been able to prevent this situation from occurring."  
  
"Thanks, Teal'c. You always manage to make a dire situation seem much better." Jack sighed, "We were due back last night - Hammond's gonna be wondering where the hell we are."  
  
**********  
  
Back at the SGC, General Hammond kept his vigil by the Stargate, joined by Dr Fraiser.  
  
"They should have been back five hours ago, Doctor," Hammond said, his gaze still locked on the gate.  
  
"They've been late before, General," Janet said, trying to reassure him, "They'll be back before we know it, and you can tear them off a strip for collecting too many rocks."  
  
Hammond allowed himself a smile. "I hope so, Doctor. I really hope I can."  
  
**********  
  
Part IV: The Two Lost Souls  
  
**********  
  
When Sam and Daniel had climbed down the tree the sun was almost risen. The sky was deep red in colour, which bathed the ground and landscape in an eerie, warm glow.  
  
"We should be able to make it to the gate by lunchtime," Daniel joked.  
  
"I hope so," Sam said, "We've not eaten in...forever. Which is the least of our problems."  
  
"True. Hey, Sam - what do you think that is over there?"  
  
She followed his outstretched hand and gazed at what appeared to be a small cave, set into the side of the forest. They hadn't seen it from the top of the tree. Daniel took a step forwards to investigate, but Sam pulled him back.  
  
"No - it could be another trap - we're not totally safe until we're off this planet. Come on - lunchtime, remember?"  
  
They got nearer to the cave with each step they took, and with each step Sam's resolve strengthened - they were not going in that cave. Just as they were about to step past it, however, they walked into something hard. She fell back onto the forest floor and looked around her in bewilderment. Ahead of her there appeared to be a long path through the forest, winding and twisting in an S shape. To the left there was the cave, looking perfectly innocent. It was this she didn't like.  
  
"Tell me this isn't a force field," Daniel groaned, standing up and rubbing his head in exasperation.  
  
Sam gingerly put out her hand and touched what she had ran into - it was definitely a force field.   
  
"Dammit," she grumbled, stubbing her foot into the ground, "Looks like we'll have to take the mystery cave after all."  
  
"We could go back," Daniel suggested, but as he began to walk back the way they came he found himself stopped by another force field.  
  
"Looks like they were a lot more intelligent than I previously thought," he said, "Sam - I...I don't know what to say. This is completely my fault."  
  
"Listen," Sam said, "I also have a tongue - I could have told you to turn back, but I didn't. This is nobody's fault. Looks like this is our only way out."  
  
Daniel took a step closer to the cave, and another. He was standing right in the entrance when he looked back at Sam and shrugged.   
  
"It's our only way out," he repeated, taking another step inside. Sam had no choice but to follow him.  
  
Inside it was very dark, and they found themselves on a narrow pathway. Their shoes clicked on the stone path, and water dripped from the roof onto their heads. As they got further down the path, the light grew dimmer. Before long, it was pitch black.   
  
"Daniel?" Sam asked, biting her lip to stop it from trembling.  
  
"I'm here," he said softly, "Just give me your hand and walk slowly."  
  
So they did. Putting one foot in front of the other, they made painfully slow progress. Every step she took, Sam expected to fall down a deep hole and never be able to get out again. The air around them was cold and full of moisture, every drip echoed loudly. For no particular reason, Sam felt the hairs on the back of her neck beginning to rise.  
  
She stopped abruptly. Daniel swallowed, trying to turn around to face her (which was not easy in the dark.)  
  
"Sam?" he asked.  
  
"I thought I heard something - Daniel, I swear -I think...I think there might be someone behind us..."  
  
"Oh, this is so cliché," Daniel said, trying to lighten the moment but failing miserably, "Let's try and keep going - I'm right here."  
  
She took his hand again and they carried on through the maze of dark tunnels, until they came to a stop and looked ahead. There was a speck of light in the distance, just a pinprick - but it was light.  
  
"Look!" Daniel said, feeling hope rise within him again, "We're almost there."  
  
Sam smiled in the darkness, but it vanished when a cool breeze drifted around her neck. She stopped and went rigid again.  
  
"Daniel - did you feel that?"  
  
"I did, yeah. What the hell is going on here, Sam?"  
  
"Like you said - I think we should just keep going," she stammered, fighting against the rising wave of fear within her.  
  
They had not moved another foot forwards when they were blinded by a sudden flash of brilliant white, that came from directly in front of them. Daniel moved his hand up to shield his eyes, and felt a cool hand close on his wrist. He bit back a yell of terror and forced himself to open his eyes. He was suddenly thrown forwards onto the floor by an invisible force. He felt nothing after his consciousness was ripped from him like an item of clothing.  
  
"Daniel!" Sam shouted, confused, terrified, feeling his hand slip from her grasp. She could definitely feel a presence in the tunnel with her, besides Daniel. She didn't like it - why had he or she injured Daniel but not her?   
  
It was then that the whispers began. They were only faint at first, but they grew louder. She didn't recognise the language, but he or she was chanting something. She whirled around in the darkness but could see nothing, merely losing her balance and tumbling to the floor. She tried to sit up but suddenly felt an immense pain in her chest, and was unable to move. The last thought that went through her head was that there was not just one person in there with her - it was two.  
  
**********  
  
Jack and Teal'c came to a halt just outside of the temple. There was no temple left to speak of. It was a pile of smoking rubble on the ground, with no sign of either Daniel or Sam.   
  
"Dammit!" Jack cursed loudly, "Where the hell are they?"  
  
"They cannot have gone far, O'Neill. I believe that if we remain by the Stargate there is hope of them returning."  
  
"And what if they're lying in a ditch somewhere?" Jack asked.  
  
"I am sorry, O'Neill. I am only trying to be of help to you." Teal'c said.  
  
"I know. I just wish I knew where the hell they were!"   
  
**********  
  
When Sam came round she found herself tied to Daniel, back to back. They were finally in a light area of the cave, but that gave her no comfort. She looked around herself and almost jumped when she saw a tall woman looking directly at her.  
  
She was tall, with long black hair that hung in a single plait down the back of her head. Her eyes were startlingly blue; her mouth was set in a thin line. Her arms were crossed over a luxurious robe of gold and burgundy silk. She was alone, however, and this was not good if she was who Sam assumed she was.  
  
"Juita?" she asked tentatively.  
  
The woman stood up, strode menacingly towards her, and slapped her harshly across the cheek. Sam bit back a cry of pain and forced herself to look up at the woman. As she did so, she saw Juita's eyes glow. It was all beginning to make sense now.  
  
"I sense the presence of a symbiote within you," she said. Her voice was deep and husky.  
  
"I'm not one of you," Sam said, "I don't have a snake in my head."   
  
Oops. That was a little too 'Jack O'Neill.'  
  
She felt another slap burn across her cheek and decided to cut the bravado, that she wasn't really very good at anyway.  
  
"Then why do I feel the presence? You lie to me, Tau'ri. You may wish to stop doing that - Nekhmar and I hold both of your lives in the palms of our very hands. You will surrender to us or die most painfully."  
  
Sam tried to ignore the reply that Jack would have given her. Instead, she opted for silence. It was the only thing you could do relatively safely with a Goa'uld. She turned away from Juita and looked at the wall instead. She soon felt Daniel stirring behind her, and prayed that Juita wouldn't notice. Unfortunately for all concerned, she did.  
  
"Daniel Jackson," she smiled, "I have so looked forwards to meeting you."  
  
Sam blinked in shock. How did she know who he was? True, they were well known by most of the System Lords, but they had never even heard of Nekhmar and Juita before. The situation was worsening, as Daniel regained full consciousness and began to speak.  
  
"Sam?"  
  
"Yeah," she said, "Daniel, it might be a good idea if we didn't - "  
  
A slap cut her off halfway through her sentence, and she felt a drop of blood spill from her lower lip.  
  
"Talk?" Daniel finished.  
  
"You will forever regret the day in which you strayed upon this land," Juita said, with an evil smile.  
  
"Yeah?" Daniel asked, soon regretting it.   
  
Juita soon made him regret it - giving him a slap just the same as she had given Sam. Daniel coughed as a trail of blood ran into his mouth.  
  
"My husband and I are very old. We have been in the same hosts for many years. We do not have time for your insolence."  
  
"Where is he?" Daniel asked.  
  
Juita raised her hand to cuff him again but stopped when she heard a voice behind her.   
  
"Leave him, my love. We need them."  
  
Sam and Daniel looked around to see a man, presumably High Priest Nekhmar, standing in the entrance to the cave. Sam's blood ran cold. She suddenly had a vague idea of what they were going to do.  
  
"Which one of you shall go first?" Juita asked, a seductive smile spreading over her lips. "I do so enjoy watching this."  
  
"The woman," Nekhmar said, "Let him watch."  
  
Juita knelt down next to Sam and untied the rope from around her. As she hauled Sam to her feet, she tried to make a desperate break for freedom. Kicking at Juita's shins, she bolted for the entrance to the cave, but found six foot of Goa'uld blocking her way, in the shape of Nekhmar.  
  
"I do so love spirit in my queen," he smiled, pushing her back to his wife. Juita ripped the dress from Sam's back and shoved her to the floor. Nekhmar sank to the floor beside her and gently extracted the symbiote.  
  
"Does she please you, my love?" he asked. Sam felt sick as she watched the serpent advance up her body. She cast one desperate look at Daniel, who was frozen to the spot.   
  
"Daniel!"  
  
"Sam! I'm sorry!" he whispered, hearing a sickening crack and her scream of pain. "I'm sorry."  
  
He knew that it was only a matter of seconds before Nekhmar rounded on him. He closed his eyes, and a tear fell from one of them.  
  
"I'm so sorry."  
  
**********  
  
And so Nekhmar and Juita's reign of terror continued in the bodies of Sam and Daniel. They were to spend the rest of their lives, maybe thousands of years, together in body - but not altogether in soul.  
  
**********  
  
Author's Note: What did you think? Do you want a sequel? I could be persuaded, but you'll have to send feedback... g 


End file.
